walker



C. L. WALKER. MECHANICAL MOVEMENT. APPLICATION FILED MAYI. 1915. LI M9258. PaIe11I@dAug.8,19w.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- @.L. WALKER. MECHANICAL II'IOVEMENT.

APPLICATION FILED III/IY I. I9I5.

YYIIncsses: @kg/7m M C. L. WALKER. MECHANICAL MOVEMENT. APPLICATION FILED IIIAY I. I9I5.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Wlnesses:

sfraans es rana onirica.

, CHARLES LESLIE WALKER, 0F HAMPSTEAD, LONDON, ENGLAND.

MECHANICAL MOVEIlliIElNT.v

\ Specification of lLetters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

To all whom z't may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES LEsL VALKER, a subject of the King of Great Britain` and Ireland, residing at 38a Bound- .cuts both such axis and the axis of the apparatus in one and the same point. The expression contrary members is hereinafter used as designating the two main elements in universal joint mechanism; for example, in an engine, the structure which carries the cylinders, etc., and the opposed inclined disk plate or like agent; certain functions or features of the two being sometimes exchangeable.`

Though the invention is in part useful generally as an improved mechanical movement in a universal joint, its use is of special importance as a driving mechanism in fluidpressure engines where the axial thrust bet-ween the contrary members must be dealt with and where it is of crucial, importance often not fully appreciated.

' (unless the angle of the inclined contrary member be a small one) that the contrary members .shall be so anchored together that the movement of the inclined one shall synchronize with the other. To put this matter strictly, in case where the member carrying the cylinders is stationary the inclined contrary member should not move reciprocatingly about its axis while the latter de'- scribes a con'e. This want of synchronism, due to incorrect anchorage, has hitherto given rise to" the irregularities which are well known to exist in universal-joint mechanism though their cause and character are The geometrical elucidation of this subject will be found in a note appended hereto under the heading Remarks, which also affords a rationale of the anchorage method described and exemplified herein.

VFigure 1 is a vertical section of part of anengine, an example of the invention, in

which two oscillating members are used to anchor an inclined member which has a movement of precession butdoes not revolve. Fig. 2 shows the oscillating parts and represents a part section on A Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view of a central portion of the inclined member. Fig. 4: is a diagram indicative of a modiied form of the invention. Figs. and 6 illustrate a modification of the give-and-take element in a construction otherwise as in Fig. 1.

The precessing or wabbling member is shown built up-in parts, comprising a plate l Fig. 1, a lever 1il attached thereto by a hemispherical shell lb and a circular part 1 Screwed into the middle portion of the plate l and forming a female track ld and spherical cavity le. Fig.l 3 shows part of the plate 1 (as viewed axially from the left in Fig. l) with certain yparts removed. Four portions of the plate 1 are cut away, including sections of the thread which holds securely the part 1,.thus forming openings 1f. Four rollers 1g are mounted on studs, such as 1h which are secured to the plate 1, their axes lying in the medial plane 2 and radiating from its center. The male member 3 is co-axial with thebody of the apparatus, parts of which, 34 and 3b, serve to hold it in due position, but in such a manner that it can freely turn about its axis 3 if necessary. The member 3 has, 'formed on its enlarged portion, the male trackV 3d and the spherical male surface 3 respectively adapted to engage with the track 1d and in occasional circumstances) with the cavity l.

Two oscillating members l and 5 Figs. l and 2 have an axis 3 coincident with the axis of the apparatus and are each secured to portions which form torque rods l and 5 which have bifurcated ends adapted to hold sliding blocks -lb and 5b which embrace respectively eccentrics o1` crank pins on a minor shaft 6. The minor shaft 6 is held in bearing-blocks which form part of the structure which carries the cylinders of the apparatus. Each Aoscillating member has a pair of arms on'which=a1e formed axially disposed alternative tracks 4 or 4 and 5 or 5 which engage the before mentioned rollers two of which 1g appear in F ig. 2 while two others, (sce Fig. 3) are' disposed at an angle of 90".Y The member 3 has an extension 3f which passes through hollow necks in the oscillating parts L4. and 5 as clearly shown. The central portions of the torque rods 4 and fform collars loosely held in. position on a stationary neck 3g.

The said central portions also form bases to which the arms of the members al and 5 are firmly secured, for example, by bolts such as 1 screwed into interrupted flanges or lugs such as et' 5f projecting from the arms 4 and 5.

Of the stationary supports of the main shaft 7, one 7 only is in part shown on the drawing. On the shaft 7 is secured the flywheel 711 which carries balance weights 7. The lever 1 passes through an ample opening 7 in the flywheel 7b which latter is directly engaged by its end 1. The end 1i may be introduced into a hollow ball 7t forming a` bush suitably mounted in the flywheel 7 b. y

The member 3 may be axiallyperforated throughout to form a support for a small .accessory shaft 8 (for actuating valves or other purposes) having a crank 8 which engages a pin-7g which, at its outer end 7", may be secured to the flywheel 7b. If the pin 7g be withdrawn andthe shaft 1 with the flywheel 7b removed in an axial direction the lever 1n may be freely moved inward, with its depending parts, into a position concentric with the apparatus, in which position, it will be easily understood, the various parts may be conveniently dismantled.

The body of the 4apparatus (not shown) to the right of Fig. 1, contains the stationary cylinders such as, for example, those of an internal combustion engine. These are groupedgicircularly about, and parallel with, the axis 3 as indicated bythe connecting rod 9. The minor shaft 6 is rotated by means of vany suitable gearing (not shown) in the same direction as the main shaft 7 but at twice the speed of the latter and duly gives and takes the movement imparted to the oscillating members 4 and 5. The two crank pins (referred to herein as eccentrics), having axes marked 6 and 6, have an equal throw, the size of which depends on the versed sine of the angle of the precessing member and on the length of the torque rods 4a and 5. g

In Fig. 2 let the points 6 and 6b represent the axes of the two eccentrics of the above named minor shaft, the point 3 being the common axis of the apparatus. Let the line (3b-3 equal the radius, the angle 6b-3-6 equal the angle of the precessing member; the line 66a being the sine the line (ih-6 equals the versed sine which represents the double throw ofthe eccentric and determines its magnitude.

It vwill be understood that the piston thrusts, acting upon the member 1, are delivered, by means of the female track 1d rolling against the male track 3d, thence, by theball washer 3* to a part 3 of the frame or body of, the apparatus. The tendency of thelprecessing member 1 to turn about its axis 1*; is concurrently resisted yby the two l of every other like part.

by suitable means not shown, is prevented from' moving in an axial direction. The remaining components of the sum of the piston thrusts drive the flywheel 7b and the shaft 7, while the axis lidescribes a circular cone, the rotation being theoretically constant and the movement of every reciprocating member being theoretically equal to that Meanwhile the rollers 1g, while restraining the torque, also prevent any transverse movement of the center of the medial plane 2 from its position in the axis 3 of the apparatus. If,fromy any reason, the axial thrust on the member 1 should be of a negative character (as when for example the motive fluid is cut off) this is received by the convex spherical surface 3 from the concave surface 1. If the four rollers 1g are exactly 90 apart it follows that the eccentrics axes 6 and 6b must be at double that angle, z'. e. 180.

In the modification Fig. 5 all of the mechanism (including that omit-ted) which lies to the left of the -line B together with the member 3 and its accessory features is to-be understood as being precisely similar toi that appearing in Fig. l but shown mainly in elevation. Fig. 6 is a section on 'B Fig.` 5. The oscillating members 4 and 5 appear in elevation (part of the latter being cut away), likewise the circular part 1 a portion of which is visible. A small part only of the male member 3 appears, and is supported by a portion 3 of the non-inclined contrary member or body of the apparatus, see Figs. 5 and 6; its extremity to the right is mounted as in Fig. 1. The hollow neck or sleeve 3g', shown integral with the portion 3', carries the loosely mounted plates 4 and 5 which are bolted to, and form parts of, the oscillating members l and 5 respectively, the bolts being marked 4 and 5. Two perforations lb are formedy in the plate 4 and likewise two 5b in the )late 5. In the portion 3 of the body o the apparatus are formed two openingsfwhich are adapted to constitute fulcra for engaging middle enlargements of .two balances 6 which have spherical ends 6 and 6" which are fitted accurately into the perforations 4" and 5b respectively. I'It will be understood that the oscillating membersvt land 5, interacting with the balancesl 6,'are quite free to oscillate under the control exereisedby the inclined member through theyintermediate members `lgacting upon the-axially disposed tracks 4 or 4d and 5 or 5d on the Oscillatin members 4 and 5 as fully described with re erence to Figs. 1, 2 and 3; that the'balances 6 thus give and take the movements and tangential pressures from the oscillating members, the balances themselves oscillating about a radial aXis which lies in the plane offthe paper in Fig. 5. The other features, identical with those appearing in Fig. l, but not here specifically mentioned, have corresponding reference figures; those features which differ but exercise analogous functions, it will be observed, are given distinguishing marks thus, the give-and-take memjoint.

ber in Fig. l is marked 6, in Figs. 5 and 6 it is marked 6C If the mechanism above described be used as in a rotary engine the two contrary members will, of course, rotate (the'shaft as 7, etc., see Fig. 1,1being stationary) about their (now stationary) axes lj and 3 respectively, and the oscillations of the members 4 and 5 will be superimposed on the rotary motion, the mechanism thus constituting a universal joint having the (hitherto inherent) errors corrected, i. e. the rotation of the two contrary members synchronized.

Fig. 4 shows a modified form of the invention which may be used as a universal This form differs from that above described mainly in that, instead of two pairs of rollers, the intermediate members consist of a ring and a crosspiece respectively. The several elements have here reference figures corresponding with those in Fig. l respectively :-the portions of the contrary members 1 and 3a, the intermediate members lgg and 1g, the oscillating members 4 and 5 and the give-and-take members 6, The inclined memberI 1 is of circular section and has pairs of holes drilled radiallykand centered in the medial plane 2 at 90 apart; one pair, which appear in the drawing, re-

ceive one pair of limbs ,1h of the crosspiece 1g, the other pair of holes (at right angles to the plane of the paper Fig. 4) receive studs held by the gimbal ring lgg. The rod 5 at its left end has a bifurcation the extent of which is indicated by the rounded'dotted line X. The fork lies within the inclined member l; it embraces the middle enlargement of the crosspiece 1g and is perforated transversely so as to receive the second pair of shorter limbs, as Y, of the crosspiece 1g. The enlarged part Z of the sleeve 4 carries a pair of studs lll which engage a pair of Vradial perforations in the gimbal ring 1,

member l have momentarily their axis coineident with the axis of the shorter limbs Y of the crosspiece 1g. Briefly stated, the sleeve 4 is universally jointed externally to the member 1 through the medium of the ring l, while the rod 5 is universally jointed internally to the member 1 through the largements, the middle ones engaging the ange of the member 3, the ends 6n engag-v ing the flange 4El and the other ends 6b engaging the flange 5, these parts corresponding closely with those of the similar balances in Fig. 5.

The action of the parts will now be understood z--The two contrary members being rotatably mounted in any convenient manner the non-inclined contrary member 3 will rotate about its axis 3?, together with the members 4 and 5 which will have their movements of oscillation superimposed on those of rotation, while the inclined member 1, lL will rotate about its axis 11. lVhether the vangle of inclination of the axis 11 be constant or otherwise the oscillations of the members 4 and 5 will automatically proportion themselves to the versed sine of the said angle. The enlargements on each of the balances 6 being (as they should be) equally spaced apart the torque will be transmitted in equal shares by the oscillating members 4 and 5 and by the intermediate members, namely, the crosspiece lg and the ring lgg.

Remarks: r1`he present invention is derived from data observed in the examination by the inventor of the nature of the movements' in space of a point which lies in the medial plane (above defined) of an acutely inclined bevel wheel which is in motion. The peculiar facts stated below are capable of mathematical demonstration. Let two equal bevel wheels be in mesh having their axes at any acute angle. To remove obscuring complications instead of revolving about their axes in the more usual manner, let one (having a horizontal axis) be fixed and let the other (having the inclined axis) execute a movement of precession, or, in other words, let its axis describe cones. It is clear that the inclined wheel does notthus rotate. Any and every point which lies in the medial plane of the inclined wheel, and in fixed relationship thereto, will be found to describe a curve in spacevwhich is the resultant of two simple movements during the period of one precessional movement of the wheel, namely an axially Vreciprocating movement in simple harmonic motion in relation to the fixed wheel combined with a twice repeated movement in a circle about a stationary horizontal axis. The said curve may be correctly marked on the surface of a sphere or alternatively on that of a cylinder; taking half the diameter of the said sphere as sphere, roughly resembles a figure 8 or the. outline of a sand-glass. If the said cylinder be superimposed within the said sphere,"so that their two surfaces touch at a point, the

line of intersection of the two mathematicalbodies equals the said curve.

Let Fig. l now be examined in the light of the above remarks; it will be found that the inclined member 1 moves in a manner identical with the bevel wheel above described, and every point in the medial plane Q will describe a curve as above described. F or example, if the axis G of the eccentric or pin be drawn through the medial plane 2 (or its extension) the point of intersection thus found describes twice a circle around the (produced) axis of the minor shaft G, the radius of the said circle being equal to the throw of the eccentric. Again, every point in the plane 2 which is the center of a balland-socket joint will circle (itl the parts be suitably coordinated) twice in a revolution about lines which represent the respective axes of the cylinders (not shown); thus each connecting rod (as 9) maintains a constant angle in relation to itscylinder axis. It will be understood as a corollary of the above that the pistons (not shown) must thus move in simple harmonic motion.

I claim:

1. For the purpose of anchoring two-contrary members one having its axis inclined to that of the other and taking up axial thrust; a combination comprising a pluralityof oscillating members having their axis of oscillation coincident with that of the non-inclined contrary member, means for operative connection of the inclined contrary member with the said oscillating members, a give-and-take element whose opposed parts have means for operative engagement respectively with the said oscillating members, means for mounting the said give-and-take element on the non-inclined contrary member, male and female' opposed circular rolling tracks concentrically carried by the said contrary members respectively, a'part extending from the noninclined contrary` member through the opening within the female rolling'track for supporting the male rolling track, means to en able one of the said rolling tracks to rotate in relation to the contrary member which carries it and means for supporting and coordinatingthe said 'contrary members and oscillating members in their angular and axial relationship.

2. For the purpose of anchormg two contrary members one having its axisinclined to that of the other; a combination compristive engagement respectively with thesaid' f 'i i oscillating members, means for mountingl thesaid give-and-take element on the'` non-V f5 inclined contrary member, and means for supporting and coordinating the said con-.-

trary members and oscillating members iny their angular and axial relationship substantially as described.

3. For the purpose of anchoring two contrary members one having its axis inclined to that of the other; a combination comprising intermediate members mounted with axes disposed radially and o apart within 35 the medial plane of the inclined contrary member, two oscillating members adapted to engage with the said intermediate menibers,` a balance having ends adapted for interaction respectively with the said oscillating members, a ulcrum for the said-balance supported by the non-inclined contrary member and means for supporting and coordinating the said contrary members and oscillating' members in their angular and 95 axial relationship substantially as described.

4. In a machine of the order having two contrary members one with its axis inclined to that of the other and having axially reciprocating elements (as pistons, etc.) in connection with the inclined contrary member; for the purpose of taking up axial thrust a combination comprising male and female opposed rolling tracks concentrically carried by the said contrary members respectively, a part extending through the opening within the female track for supporting the Vmale track, and means for anchoring the said contrary members.

In a machine of the order having two contrary Imembers one with its axis inclined to that of the other and having axially reciprocating elements (as pistons, etc.) in connection with the inclined contrary member; for the purpose oftaking up axial thrust, a combination comprising opposed rolling tracks concentrically carried by the said contrary members res ectively, means for enabling one of the sait tracks tol rotate in relation to the contrary member which carries it, means for anchoring the said contrary members.

6. In a machinev of the order having two contrary members one with its axis vinclined to that of the other and having axially reciprocating elements (as pistons, etc.) in

connection with the inclined contrary member; for the purpose of anchoring the said contrary members a combination comprlsing two pairs of rollers mounted with their fulcra for the said balances carried by the non-inclined contrary member, and means 16 for taking up axial thrust.

CHARLES LESLIE WALKER.

lvitnesses ALFRED FREDERICK TRowLEs,

HELEN ELIZABETH TRowLEs. 

